Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-07-01
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Written and compiled for the HERALD.
WGcrrNcTf,N lima 9th 1897

Written and compiled for the HERALD.
WASHINGTON, June 9th, 1887.
Mrs. Cleveland has returned
from brief soiourr in New York,
where she has been modestly eX.
hibiting one Of the most admirable
traits of her character, the fidelity
with which she maintains the
friendships she formed in girlhoOd
and college life. "The first Lady
Of the land" seems more youthful
and radiant than ever. learn
that the President and his wife
contemplate a rather extensive
Western tour next fall, visiting,
besides st. Louis, Kansas City,
Detroit and other places, which
will probably be the first active
movement in behalf of his boom for
denomination.
When | write OF Cleveland. it
brings Mr.. Blaine to my mind.
From the statements of Senators
Fry and Hale, who are bosom
friends Of the Maine Statesman, !
conclude that ne, too, will be a can
didate for the Presidency in 1855,
TOR both say they believe he will
be renOminated. All Ofthese gen
tlemen being al preSentin Europe,
and / infer they have fine OppOr-
tunities for continuing their conf
dental relations.
Mr.. Cleveland an Mr.. Bayard
have pooled their mall stock of
brains and each end,lvored to out
toady the other IN expressing their
admiration for Queen Victoria, En-
glands royal figure.head. Contrast
this contemptibly obsequious lack
of true patriotic feeling with Mr..
Blaine's declination to accept the
invitation of Prime Minister Sails
bury, to attend a reception at the
Foreign Office, in honor Of visiting
ROYALTIES.
The recent examination the first
under the new Civil Service Rules,
of clerks in the Quarter-Master-
Generals Office, reveals the fact
that it Is simply scheme to Dust
Republicans from Office on finely
scholastic questions that have no
reference to clerical duties; for out
of 80 clerks examined, but ten
passed, in face Of the fact, that all
have satisfactory records as to ef-
Gciency. Many of the clerks made
no attempt to answer these ques
tons, as only a professor or a
schoolbOy could do 50 successfully,
and so the farce ended.
The Pension Office has overhaul.
ed the persons who have used an
old inhrm soldier TO defraud the
Government out Of $4,000, in
pension money and recovered most
of the sum. Those who are YER
dant enough 70 commit snch frauds
always come to grief, as the United
States have no mercy on swindlers
Twelve new rooms are being add
ed to the 3rd story Of the Patent
Office, 70 provide an outlet for the
over.crowded clerks in the other
rooms of the building, especially
those below.
So much has been written about
battle.flags that | have made a Wis
/ it 70 the War Department and per
sonally inspected these tattered
though treasured relics of rebellion,
finding nearly 600 Of them, named
/ in book with this title: "Record
of Rebel flags captured by the I'm
ion troops since April 10Th, lSGl.'
In the same room are over 200 Fed
eIal flags taken By Confederate
| troops and recaptured with Rich
mond. The remainder are also
Union banners, turned oyer 70 the
War Department by the several
State organizations. Some of the
Confederate flags are made Of wo
mems dresses, all Of them are worn
by time into shreds.
A prominent official Of the Int
rior Department, through his OWL
folly, finds himself in a very EN-
barrassing position. y young lady
who had passed a creditable Civil
Service examination and felt con
fident of appointment, received a
visit from this man, who assured
her that he would secure her the
place, but, coupled the promise
with an insulting proposal, which
was Indignantly spurned. And
now this official is exerting all his
family and political influence to
prevent exposure.
Secretary Fairchiid recognizes
the gravity of the late financial
storm.signals in commercial cen
tres by hastily ordering prepay
ment of the S9,OOO,OO0 interest on
July bonds, hoping thereby to
avert a general and disastrous PAN
ic.
Under the influence and COM
mand of Gen Ordway most of the
CITY and District militia companies
have been organized into "The
National Guard" in order to in
crease their morale and importance
in case their services should be re-
ouired in any way.
The Washington Grand Army
Posts, as well as many others in
various portions of the country,
have endorsed the new Pension
Bill for the benefit of the helpless
loved ones of the herocic boys IN
blue who fell in the rebellion and
they hope to secure its passage,
despite the veto Of hostile unpa-
triotic President, who, 1t appears,
prides himself on aTtagonizing the
interests OF those who died that the
Union might live.
Many Republicans believe that
Gen. sheridan or Gen. Fairchild
should lead them in 1888 and thus
,,ol,o q e1,noro II 0ht hptUppn thOgp